Wheel for automobiles of the lighter class



E. K. BAKERJ WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBiLES OF THE LIGHTER CLASS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.3, I919. 1 3 339,913 Patented May 11, 1920.

Y 2SHEETS-SHEET I.

-E. K. BAKER. WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES OF THE LIGHTER CLASS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3.1919. A 1,33931 3, Patented May 11, 1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2- nntn KING BAKER, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ass-much. T0Barren WHEEL & nna COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a oonronnrron. orILLINOIS.

WHEEL F011. AUTOMOBILES OF THE LIGHTER CLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, lose.

Application filed December 3, 2919. serial No. 342,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emir. Kine BAKER, a citizen of the United States,and a. resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels for Automobilesof the Lighter Class, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to motor vehicle wheels, especially to those of theclass which I have made known as semi-wood wheels,

and more particularly such as are character-. lzed by fixed llIDSadapted to directly receive ple construction and so easily assembled as.to make it possible to manufacture the wheels at less than the cost ofordinary wood wheels adapted to the sameservice.

Further objects and the preferred details of my invention will appearhereinafter.

My invention will be readily understood on reference to the drawingsthat form part of this specification, and in which: Figure l is a sideview of an automobile wheel embodying my invention, a portion of theWheel periphery being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a cross sectionsubstantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; 3 is an enlarged section of thehub center of the wheel; Fig. 4 is a circumferential section of theportion of the wheel which contains thetire valve stem opening; Fig. 5is an inner side view of the peripheral portion directly opposite thatshown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is an-enlarged crosssection of the peripheralportion, as on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, but showing the spoke in fulllines; Fig. 7 is an enlarged crosssection on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1; andFigs.

8 and 9 show two modifications of the fixed- .rim.

i ls-shown in the drawings. y novel wheel has a full complement ofradial wooden spokes, 2, each identical with all the othcrs and havingmitered hutts;-'2, which form the allwvood center, 3.; The hub center issecured between the flanges ol the vehicle huh, ll. The outer end ofeach spoke is provided With a shoulder, 2, and the tenon, 2.

This wheel has a two-part fixed rim comprising an open or split ring, 5,and 'an endless, integrally fianged fixed rim proper, 6-. The split ringas shown in Fig. 2 is little wider than the spokes and contains tenonholes, 5, which receive the respective tenons, 2", oi the spokes. Thelatter are' of a length no less than and preferably slightly greaterthan the thickness of the ring, 5.

As a first operation in assembling thelixed rim upon the tenoned spokes,the perforated ring, 5, then in open condition, is wound upon the bodyof the spokes; taking in successive tenons, until the ring is positionedon all of them. This leaves the ends of the ring in near abutment at thepoint, 8.

The next assembling step consists in heating an already prepared fixedrim, 6, and then shrinking the same directly over ring, In lieu thereof,and preferably. I may start with an over-sized rim, 6, and then swage orupset the same directly upon the ring, 5, and the ends of the spokes, 2,best utilizing the method described and claimed in my companionapplication, S. N. (1862).

By both methods the fixed rim, 6, is brought to the correctcircumference with respect to the tire, T, which the wheel is th bear,and incidentally the ring, 5, is contracted to such an extent as tobring its ends, 5", into nice abutment and meantime the spoke buttscomposing the hub center are set inwardly to finally compact the hubcenter. And quite as important, the fixed rim, 6, is left in strongcircumferential tension and hence in a state of strong pressure; hearingfirmly upon the large ended lemons oi the spokes, 2.

These steps having been accomplished, the two metal rims, 5 and 6, arefastened together, as by spaced rivets, or better still by spot weldingthem, in the manner clearly indicated at the points, 9, in the severalfigures of the drawing.

It will be obvious that in this manner the ends of the wooden spokes arepernnu nently sealed within the spoke sockets of the ring, 5, andagainst the inner periphery, 6,'of the rim, 6.

The strength and reliability with which the wooden spokes and the fixedrim are interlocked are both of great importance.

If desired, the split ring portion, 5, of the fixed rim may be made oflighter stock than shown in Fl s. 6 or 7 5 and may take either more thancontaci the rim, 6, and the simuL dens, f2, jeif the spekes.

his wheel will be found L0 be of strength in prepertien to its Weight,of good appearance an admirably adapted to the uses of motorvehicles-and trucks 0% the lighter class equipped with (:iencilerQneumeme tires oi? 'h ":ind which have stretch able base beads, T. Thelow 00$:- f the wheel and the ease with wiiieh it may be produced. byhand or machine HlfifiililOQiS will art. Having this describe-i myinventien, claim new and desire 'meecure by L%'iJiJ6T-2S I 1:

be apgarent to all who are siziiiei in the 2. semi-weed Wiieei compesedof a full complement of wofien spokes bee ing bread. tenens at ifiaeirends, in. eombinmieii with a ring, 5, (remaining :tenon sockets for saidtensile e?! the spokes, a tire-carrying fixed .01. L

rim shrunk direct-3y upen. the end tens-m; e,

spokes and at intervals 5e ring. in v'estimen'y whereof, I have hereuntomy hand this 20th day of November 131%.

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